When Tom Henderson received an email last August telling him that he had been dismissed from Shelterbox – the disaster relief organisation which he founded 10 years earlier – it was too much for his wife to bear.
"I read out the email to Jane and she collapsed and died 18 hours later."
By November, Tom was sitting in a meeting in Paris, organised by friends from across the globe, many of whom had left Shelterbox.
"They told me that, in memory of Jane, we were going to do it again – and that I was going to run it," he said.
In March this year, the Jane Henderson Foundation and its trading arm, Shelter For Humanity (S4H), were born.
On Friday, in Lanner village hall, S4H held its first assessment weekend for potential disaster relief volunteers.
Introducing the new venture to the seven would-be recruits, Henderson said: "Be under no illusion that this is an adventure holiday.
"I want to know if you have the mindset, the will to achieve and ability to represent yourselves."
The trainees were introduced to S4H leaders from Brazil, Sweden and Australia, including Shelterbox's former deputy chief executive officer, Lasse Petersen, who has worked on 20 disasters since 2006.
At the end of an evening of introductions and presentations, the real work began.
"Ok, we are now in disaster scenario mode," said Mike Metcalfe, a semi-retired military from Bodmin and volunteer head of training operations.
"From now on be prepared to leave at 15 second notice. Make sure all your equipment is nearby at all times."
During the next 48 hours the trainees would be immersed in a disaster scenario at the nearby Penventon Quarry to see if they had the "resolve, passion and determination" to become part of the S4H response team.
Based out of three new S4H/Vango tents, the new recruits were tasked with repairing a mock school building, digging toilets and arranging shelter for 60 fictitious villagers who had fled an earthquake which had destroyed their homes three weeks earlier.
As the recruits were settling down for lunch following six hours work, Henderson issued the first of many emergency drills.
"The camp is being attacked, grab your stuff and be ready to move out in 15 seconds."
This is a technique called "dislocation of expectation".
He said: "Every time they feel comfortable we give them another challenge.
"We get them cold, wet and hungry, then see how they deal with it."
"During a disaster, the normal rules go out of the window, so they need to be ready for that."
He added that it can cost up to £10,000 to properly train a disaster relief worker and another £5,000 to deploy them.
"So we want to be certain they are committed before we start spending money on them."
This was just an assessment weekend. The real training can last up to two weeks.
The intention, Henderson explained, was to create "a fierce and determined group of people with common sense who want to make a difference."
